Toxic Masculinity in Fashion
“Purple is a womens’ color,” my dad said to me as we debated which of the iPhone colors looked the best. He seemed entirely confident in his assertion that purple was indeed the manifestation of femininity in an object that had no such distinction. His tone, though humorous, was laced with a certain disgust. If he meant it that way, he did not say any further, only that the sleek, unassuming black was his color of choice.
From colors to cuts of clothes, fashion and gender expression do not exist without intersection with misogyny. Dresses, skirts, and heels are for women; pink and purple are too “girly” a color to be seen on a man; are all limitations come out of a rigid need for conformity to gender roles. The unconscious negative bias that many men express towards femininity is a facet of toxic masculinity.
It can be better described as a fear of being feminine. Where masculinity departs from being a healthy connection with one’s gender identity and becomes a negative societal construct is when it can be described as toxic. Indoctrination into toxic masculinity begins in youth. The image of “the traditional man”; the unemotional man; the domineering man, becomes a societal role that young boys are encouraged to uphold and strive to become. Expanding to a larger context, both men and women are taught to equate femininity and emotion with irrationality, erraticism, and weakness. For a man to “emasculate” himself appears to be an inconceivable violation of social convention.
Fashion is so deeply entwined with the way we as individuals choose to present our identity. People who want to cross the lines between masculine and feminine face undeserved ridicule. Traditional masculinity relies upon the rejection of femininity. When feminine expression is viewed as lesser, men who deviate from masculinity are more harshly criticized than women who depart from femininity--forming a double standard that places masculine expression at the ideal position.
Reception in Media
The Harry Styles Vogue cover was a topic regarded as controversial among media circles, eliciting negative feedback over the perceived “threat to masculinity” the picture posed. It raised important conversations about the role of femininity in men’s fashion, bringing exposure to the conflict between societal gender roles and the rising trend of individual expression in clothing.
Candace Owens, a conservative activist and author, had quite a notable response to Styles’ Vogue cover. In her tweet responding to the picture, she associated the “feminization” of men with weakness, claiming that without the presence of masculine men, society would cease to function. “Bring back manly men”, she states, showing how women are equally capable of being indoctrinated into and upholding the limitations of toxic masculinity. This, among other critiques, was common upon the release of the Vogue cover, showing just how harsh the backlash that a perceived step forward in breaking gender roles would receive.
However, the cover is not entirely revolutionary. Actor Billy Porter, who has made a reputation for himself by breaking gender boundaries in fashion, recently commented on the Harry Styles Vogue cover and how there is a dissonance in reception and opportunity given to white men who dress femininely compared to people of color who express the same style.
The conversation about how society perceives and responds to feminine men cannot exist without acknowledging its intersection with sexuality and race. As an unlabeled cis white man, Harry Styles’ choice to wear a dress on a magazine cover is insignificant compared to the way toxic masculinity affects trans and queer people of color.
Fashion is, at least on the runway, gradually shifting to a point where fluid gender expression is celebrated more often than it is criticized. As highlighted in various 2021 Met Gala looks, the line between masculine and feminine is not as rigid as it has been formerly.
One of Lil Nas X’s looks throughout the night was a tight patterned gold bodysuit complemented by gold eyeliner drawn into a defined wing.
Eugene Lee Yang wore an especially vibrant red eyeshadow look with heels to match.
The deconstruction of the traditional male identity is a step in the dismantling of toxic masculinity. Whether on the runway worn by celebrities or by the everyday man, the way we view feminine expression by individuals who identify as men is indicative of how the patriarchy continues to influence society as a whole.
